Objectives To provide laboratory support for this CIPRA program To provide central laboratory facilities at HIV-NAT for those sites with limited capacity To develop laboratory capacity in regional sites where possible To develop QA/QC programs to monitor inter- and intra-laboratory variability and to standardize laboratory procedures for specialized study endpoint assays To provide regional training program in principles of pharmaceutical level Good Laboratory Practice, laboratory techniques and quality management Specific aims To employ additional technical personnel in accordance with increased activity according to the projects To purchase additional laboratory equipment to accommodate the increased activity associated with the projects To procure additional administrative infrastructure to support this laboratory core To expand the existing laboratory facilities to accommodate additional activity associated with the CIPRA program Methods Two full-time laboratory technologists and three assistant laboratory technicians will be employed. This number is based on the current formula for workload distribution for employment at the HIV-NAT laboratory. A laboratory administrative assistant will be employed to oversee the clerical aspects of the four projects. As HIV-NAT will be the central laboratory for many sites, the centrifuge, biological safety cabinet and flow cytometer are needed with the expected increase in activity. Other existing equipment is adequate. Additional -80 deg freezers will be needed for-long term specimen storage for all four projects. It is envisaged that most long-term storage will occur at HIV-NAT. A system of specimen transport between the sites and HIV-NAT using ground and air transport with portable liquid nitrogen tanks will be developed due to the unreliable supply of solid carbon dioxide (dry ice) in remote sites. There will be a need for temporary local storage at regional sites prior to shipment. Small freezers for temporary specimen storage will be purchased for this purpose.